As the number of measles cases continues to rise in Pennsylvania, state and county health departments have provided guidelines for families to stay safe amid the outbreak.
What to Know About Measles
- Measles is a highly contagious virus that infects the lungs and spreads when an infected person breaths, coughs, or sneezes. The virus remains in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours, even after the infected person leaves the area.
- Symptoms to watch for include fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes followed by a rash that starts on the head or face and spreads downward.
- Symptoms can start seven to 21 days after exposure. An individual with measles can spread the virus to others four days before and four days after the rash begins.
Cases on the Rise
The number of measles cases continues to rise in Pennsylvania as 70 people have been hospitalized statewide, with two deaths in Lancaster County. Allegheny County reported a positive case at UPMC Children’s Hospital Emergency Department in Pittsburgh
No additional details can be provided about the Allegheny County case for privacy reasons. UPMC will call patients who have been identified as exposed on the two days when the patient was at the hospital.
How to Prevent Measles
Measles is a preventable disease, but vaccination is on the decline and cases have risen to the highest level in 35 years. Individuals who are not vaccinated are most at-risk for infection, state and county health departments said.
The Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine is given to toddlers when they are 12 to 15 months, and a second MMR vaccine is required for all Pennsylvania school children.
The state’s Department of Health (DOH) advises that Pennsylvanians should follow immunization recommendations issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which include MMR, hepatitis, polio, and whooping cough.
The Pennsylvania DOH recently said that it planned on sticking to its original childhood vaccine schedule, despite a federal executive order recommending alterations, and that school entry requirements would remain the same.
What To Do If Your Child is Exposed to Measles
Caregivers who are concerned that their child might have been exposed to measles should take the following steps:
- Do not go directly to a healthcare facility without calling ahead first.
- Check the child’s vaccination status.
- Residents in Allegheny County who are concerned about a potential exposure should call the Allegheny County Health Department at 412-578-8062.
- Pennsylvanians in other areas who believe their child might have been exposed can call 877-724-3258.
